Star Rajasthan wicketkeeper-batter Mukul Choudhary was snapped up by the Lucknow Super Giants on Tuesday for Rs 2.6 crore at the IPL 2026 mini-auction in Abu Dhabi.
The 21-year-old is coming off a match-winning innings over Delhi in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
Just two years into domestic cricket, the 2.6 crore bid is a big one for Mukul. Rajasthan Royals began the bid at his base price of Rs 30 lakh and the Mumbai Indians joined them.
MI exited the bid at Rs 90 lakh and Lucknow joined in. Rajasthan exited at Rs 2.4 crore and Lucknow bagged him for Rs 2.6 crore.
Mukul made his first-class debut against Chhattisgarh in January 2023. He has scored 51 runs in three matches at a dismal average of 12.75, with the highest score of 45.
Mukul made his T20 debut against Jharkhand in October 2023 and played a 35-run knock while opening. He currently has 210 runs in seven matches at an average of 42, with an unbeaten 62 being his highest score in the format.
Earlier in the day, Mukul was in action for Rajasthan against Mumbai in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. After losing Ram Chouhan in the second over, Ramnivas Golada and Deepak Hooda added 103 runs for the second wicket.
Rajasthan soon found themselves at 112/3 in the 12th over, before Mahipal Lomror and Mukul added 89 runs for the fourth wicket. The duo took the score to 216/4, with the latter remaining unbeaten on a 28-ball 54.
In the chase, openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ajinkya Rahane added 41 runs before the former was dismissed by Ashok Sharma in the fourth over. Rahane and Sarfaraz Khan then built a match-winning 111-run partnership before the latter was dismissed by Manav Suthar.
Mumbai soon found themselves at 178/6 in the 16th over, but Rahane and Atharva Ankolekar added 34 runs for the seventh wicket before the latter was dismissed by Ashok. Rahane and Mulani took them past the target.